Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Abdul-Jabbar fans. Speculation had been rife that the American basketball player is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 78, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 22/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a basketball player isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a basketball player just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouKareem

For a little while on Saturday evening, #ThankYouKareem was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was unlike any other basketball player we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouKareem”
— @universalObserver, 21 Mar 2026

“Abdul-Jabbar wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 21 Mar 2026

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